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hello,
I just get my xoom and i would like to be able to read video file from my Pc (windows). I don't want a stream software (like orb) I would like to read with moboplayer or another one. I try to use es explorer to access file on the computer but when I launch the video but player as to copy everything before. I try to use cfis manager but it is not working with tiamat 1.3.2.
So if someone get a solution it would be perfect
thks
hmmm...did you load the cifs prior to using conf manager? THat's what i use and it works great. ONly option out there unless you encode your videos for streaming.
I play movies from a pc drive by mounting the drive on the xoom.
Here is a guide I wrote up to get it working.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1036316
i use tversity. Prettygoood post here http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1039808
Two things that may simplify the process for you.
Look for an app like Twonkey that will allow UPNP streams. They are NOT converted so the file will need to be a playable file format on the Xoom for it to work. As a bonus Twonkey will allow you to stream video from the Xoom to your PC or UPNP/DLNA capable TV.
Wait for Plex to release their update for the Xoom. This is VERY close to completion, but I can not give you any exact details. Plex makes Orb look like a steaming pile of you know what, with regard to browsing your media library and the quality of the transcoding. As a few lingering bugs get worked out it will also allow for native streaming of the file with no transcode if bandwidth allows.
Yeah so when is plex coming out for xoom? I've been waiting for it since february! patiently, no less! as it is i'm using skifta as a dlna client, but the image is wonky and it doesn't work nearly as well as plex does on my iphone.
You could just, you know, send me the plex beta apk? I already bought it for android. thanks?
I use Ubuntu at home and here is my setup. You can certainly modify it for a Windows box.
I use Coherence as a UPNP server on ly computer. Youcan use Tversity on Windows for a similar service.
On my Xoom, I run an app call UPNP Play, which will find all UPNP severs on your wifi network. I choose the file I want, and play it via Rockplayer.
So far I haven't had any problems. No need for transcoding at all. Most files I tried have worked beautifully. But I haven't tried a h.264 file yet.
Playon has a beta MyMedia function that converts and streams and works pretty well on my Zoom to watch my .avi and mkv files. Not free but it works pretty well and gives you Netflix too.
Sent from my Desire HD using XDA Premium App
PlayOn is my top favorite since I can watch shows from Hulu on it
Skifta is my second choice because I use it to stream all other types of contents from my primary media server - http://vortexbox.org
stinkyjoe said:
Yeah so when is plex coming out for xoom? I've been waiting for it since february! patiently, no less! as it is i'm using skifta as a dlna client, but the image is wonky and it doesn't work nearly as well as plex does on my iphone.
You could just, you know, send me the plex beta apk? I already bought it for android. thanks?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well we are working on the RC for public release right now. Two major bugs were found in it and are being fixed as I type this. Public release should be right around the corner.
Sorry but I cant hand out the beta apks. Hell I probably should not be telling you that its almost out. I know its been far too long and some are loosing interest, but the wait will be worth it.
thx for all in fact the problem was in the cifs.ko not loaded, now everything work except cfis manager that I have to load from the market (not from the app ) :/
Now i have to find a quick way to encode video (all high profile :/)
This isn't another repeat of the same question regarding apps/compatibility. I know there are some solutions out there and some that we'll have more access to shortly (i.e. Plex.)
My question is what is going to be the best setup for hosting and serving local media to a ChromeCast? I currently have an outdated (unsupported) Windows Home Server with 3TB of storage. With an Intel Atom CPU it still functions nicely as a lightweight, energy efficient file server. I'm concerned about it's capability to function as a DLNA server, however. It's powerful enough to serve raw files but I think that's about it.
I bought the Avia expanded feature set and haven't had much luck with it. I understand I can't use it to simply browse files on my server and play them, so I installed the Serviio DLNA server (http://serviiowhs.codeplex.com/) and the Avia app does find this media (although some files are sporadically missing.) Playing them on Avia doesn't work at all, either on my phone or on Chromecast. I turned off transcoding on the server but I'm just generally confused at where the video processing is all taking place and where I want it to be taking place.
Ideally I'd like to just serve files up to my ChromeCast and have it perform all of the decoding/video processing, I think? Is that ever a realistic option or do I need to find something that is going to work better as DLNA server? Maybe a NAS with some kind of DLNA functionality built in? Anyone else have opinions on the best setup?
usefulidiot127 said:
My question is what is going to be the best setup for hosting and serving local media to a ChromeCast? I currently have an outdated (unsupported) Windows Home Server with 3TB of storage. With an Intel Atom CPU it still functions nicely as a lightweight, energy efficient file server. I'm concerned about it's capability to function as a DLNA server, however. It's powerful enough to serve raw files but I think that's about it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hmm... Atom is fine for DLNA, but things that require transcoding (ie, Plex Media Server) will probably leave you wanting more horsepower.
usefulidiot127 said:
I bought the Avia expanded feature set and haven't had much luck with it. I understand I can't use it to simply browse files on my server and play them, so I installed the Serviio DLNA server (http://serviiowhs.codeplex.com/) and the Avia app does find this media (although some files are sporadically missing.) Playing them on Avia doesn't work at all, either on my phone or on Chromecast. I turned off transcoding on the server but I'm just generally confused at where the video processing is all taking place and where I want it to be taking place.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm on WHS 2011 now, but IIRC WHSv1 supports UPnP and Windows Media Connect. It might show up for DLNA, but I don't remember if Windows Media Connect is turned on by default. Regardless, DLNA alone won't help you if your media isn't in a Chromecast-compatible format.
usefulidiot127 said:
Ideally I'd like to just serve files up to my ChromeCast and have it perform all of the decoding/video processing, I think? Is that ever a realistic option or do I need to find something that is going to work better as DLNA server? Maybe a NAS with some kind of DLNA functionality built in? Anyone else have opinions on the best setup?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Chromecast's processor is powerful, but nowhere near as flexible as a desktop computer. You can't necessarily automatically download and install software CODECs like you can on a desktop computer.
Think of it more like an iPod - unless the media was made to be compatible, there will likely need to be some amount of "preparation" (ie, transcoding) that needs to be done to make it compatible.
Your options would be to convert/transcode your media library so it's Chromecast compatible, use RealPlayer Cloud (which will require you to upload any incompatible media to RP Cloud where they'll do the transcoding for you via their SurePlay feature), or use Plex Media Server so you have on-the-fly transcoding.
bhiga said:
Hmm... Atom is fine for DLNA, but things that require transcoding (ie, Plex Media Server) will probably leave you wanting more horsepower.
I'm on WHS 2011 now, but IIRC WHSv1 supports UPnP and Windows Media Connect. It might show up for DLNA, but I don't remember if Windows Media Connect is turned on by default. Regardless, DLNA alone won't help you if your media isn't in a Chromecast-compatible format.
Chromecast's processor is powerful, but nowhere near as flexible as a desktop computer. You can't necessarily automatically download and install software CODECs like you can on a desktop computer.
Think of it more like an iPod - unless the media was made to be compatible, there will likely need to be some amount of "preparation" (ie, transcoding) that needs to be done to make it compatible.
Your options would be to convert/transcode your media library so it's Chromecast compatible, use RealPlayer Cloud (which will require you to upload any incompatible media to RP Cloud where they'll do the transcoding for you via their SurePlay feature), or use Plex Media Server so you have on-the-fly transcoding.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the detailed reply. I'm guessing I'm running into issues with Avia/ChromeCast because I have transcoding disabled and the media may not be in a format supported by Chromecast? I thought maybe since my android phones/tablets with MX Player can process just about any file, maybe the ChromeCast could as well. (Not taking into account that ChromeCast is a vastly cheaper device.)
My best option might just be to run Plex on my full powered desktop and treat my server as network attached storage. I'll just need to turn the PC on when I'm ready to Cast (surely there's an app out there to wake a desktop from sleep mode...)
usefulidiot127 said:
Thanks for the detailed reply. I'm guessing I'm running into issues with Avia/ChromeCast because I have transcoding disabled and the media may not be in a format supported by Chromecast? I thought maybe since my android phones/tablets with MX Player can process just about any file, maybe the ChromeCast could as well. (Not taking into account that ChromeCast is a vastly cheaper device.)
My best option might just be to run Plex on my full powered desktop and treat my server as network attached storage. I'll just need to turn the PC on when I'm ready to Cast (surely there's an app out there to wake a desktop from sleep mode...)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes - most likely your media isn't in a format Chromecast can play.
You can test it by shooting a 720p clip on your phone/tablet and throwing that onto your server - that should be playable by Chromecast unless you have an uber-fancy device that saves in a non-mainstream format.
MX Player is pretty awesome - it really makes good use of hardware decoding and such, but of course today's phones and tablets are closer to desktop computer than appliance-type devices like Chromecast.
Yes, probably your best bet it to run Plex on a reasonably-fast machine. It might be worth trying it on your WHS box too, though it might be slow to start stuff, depends. My WHS 2011 box is an Atom 330 (dual-core), it was a good upgrade from my previous Atom 230 (single-core) but its CPU isn't much faster than those found in some of the more-powerful NAS units. I just use it as a fileserver, so it's not a huge deal and the primary design factor was small form factor (it's mounted to a plate mounted on the back of my TV).
As long as the network connection between your server and your Plex Media Server machine is good, it should work well. For a while I was running pyTivo on my desktop to on-the-fly transcode stuff to play on my TiVos...
bhiga said:
Yes - most likely your media isn't in a format Chromecast can play.
You can test it by shooting a 720p clip on your phone/tablet and throwing that onto your server - that should be playable by Chromecast unless you have an uber-fancy device that saves in a non-mainstream format.
MX Player is pretty awesome - it really makes good use of hardware decoding and such, but of course today's phones and tablets are closer to desktop computer than appliance-type devices like Chromecast.
Yes, probably your best bet it to run Plex on a reasonably-fast machine. It might be worth trying it on your WHS box too, though it might be slow to start stuff, depends. My WHS 2011 box is an Atom 330 (dual-core), it was a good upgrade from my previous Atom 230 (single-core) but its CPU isn't much faster than those found in some of the more-powerful NAS units. I just use it as a fileserver, so it's not a huge deal and the primary design factor was small form factor (it's mounted to a plate mounted on the back of my TV).
As long as the network connection between your server and your Plex Media Server machine is good, it should work well. For a while I was running pyTivo on my desktop to on-the-fly transcode stuff to play on my TiVos...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My Plex Server is running everything just fine off of an old Dell Dimension E510. The only upgrade I've made to that server was to boost the ram from 1gb to 4gb. It transcodes everything on the fly just fine. I'm quite surprised, actually.
jsdecker10 said:
My Plex Server is running everything just fine off of an old Dell Dimension E510. The only upgrade I've made to that server was to boost the ram from 1gb to 4gb. It transcodes everything on the fly just fine. I'm quite surprised, actually.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Looks like your E510 is an 3GHz Intel Pentium 4 531 (or at least the one CNET reviewed was).
My Atom 330 is still kinda poopy in comparison, but this at least gives me enough hope to perhaps try Plex server and see how it fares.
Thanks for that!
bhiga said:
Looks like your E510 is an 3GHz Intel Pentium 4 531 (or at least the one CNET reviewed was).
My Atom 330 is still kinda poopy in comparison, but this at least gives me enough hope to perhaps try Plex server and see how it fares.
Thanks for that!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yup, you may as well at least give it a shot and just see how it'll fare because I wasn't really too optimistic about mine being able to handle the duties of transcoding either...ie. from mkv, from avi, etc. But to my surprise, it did the job just fine n dandy & I've been MORE than satisfied with my setup so far.
Sent from my SM-N900V using Tapatalk
Doesn't WHS come with Twonky Server? Or is that just some Brands of it?
Twonky will do transcoding but you might need to install FFMPEG and set it up to do it.
Tonky is probably the best at transcoding and very configurable so if WHS has it I would look into using that first.
Yes the Atom is probably underpowered for good transcoding but provided your source files aren't too High Quality I think it might cut it.
As for anyone looking for the BEST WAY...The choices are pretty slim right now....
You have ONLY two choices right now....
Plex and Plex apps OR DLNA server and aVia and I think we established that aVia even with DLNA server that transcodes doesn't always mean a CCast compatible stream.
Maybe Bubble solves that or maybe some other player does but until they are released those are really the only two choices and answers anyone can give for people without a rooted CCast.
I'm having best luck using PlayOn/Avia. PlayOn uses VLC player so can stream just about any format, haven't found one yet it can't do. Avia can fine PlayOn server via DLNC. Also doesn't require too much CPU, have even used a netbook as PlayOn server and works really well. Plus, you get all the PlayOn channels, which is a bunch.
xenokc said:
I'm having best luck using PlayOn/Avia. PlayOn uses VLC player so can stream just about any format, haven't found one yet it can't do. Avia can fine PlayOn server via DLNC. Also doesn't require too much CPU, have even used a netbook as PlayOn server and works really well. Plus, you get all the PlayOn channels, which is a bunch.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
And the PlayOn app will soon support CCast as well, At least they are advertising that as coming very soon.
Like I said there are going to be more options coming out soon that will change whatever answer is given today which is why I caution anyone from re-encoding their Library trying to fix a temporary problem!
Asphyx said:
And the PlayOn app will soon support CCast as well, At least they are advertising that as coming very soon.
Like I said there are going to be more options coming out soon that will change whatever answer is given today which is why I caution anyone from re-encoding their Library trying to fix a temporary problem!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Good to hear CCast support is coming for PLayOn. Works OK with Avia but direct support will be great. The best thing about PlayOn is that is uses VLC Player so just about every format supported as well as low CPU needs.
xenokc said:
Good to hear CCast support is coming for PLayOn. Works OK with Avia but direct support will be great. The best thing about PlayOn is that is uses VLC Player so just about every format supported as well as low CPU needs.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well it may use VLC to play on Android but there is no guarantee it will use VLC on the CCast.
It is my hope that VLC (and all Player apps that are out there) will support CCast and create a DIAL registered Player App for Chromecast that other programs could use as well.
Asphyx said:
Well it may use VLC to play on Android but there is no guarantee it will use VLC on the CCast.
It is my hope that VLC (and all Player apps that are out there) will support CCast and create a DIAL registered Player App for Chromecast that other programs could use as well.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Actually PlayOn uses VLC on the server side, not the client side.
Does anyone think we'll be able to use the 'Cast Screen' in the display settings with Chromecast anytime soon?
The S3 Kid said:
Does anyone think we'll be able to use the 'Cast Screen' in the display settings with Chromecast anytime soon?
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Click to collapse
Ah, I've been wondering why this isn't working for me in OmniROM. Is this a standard feature/option even on the stock ROM for KitKat? Or are you using OmniROM as well? It doesn't detect my Chromecast. Thanks.
ritzxda said:
Ah, I've been wondering why this isn't working for me in OmniROM. Is this a standard feature/option even on the stock ROM for KitKat? Or are you using OmniROM as well? It doesn't detect my Chromecast. Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
KitKat is Miracast certified. Problem is, Chromecast doesn't support Miracast, at least not today...
bhiga said:
KitKat is Miracast certified. Problem is, Chromecast doesn't support Miracast, at least not today...
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Click to collapse
Ah got it! Thank you. I thought it was something new due to the new "Cast" option in the settings. Thanks.
xenokc said:
Actually PlayOn uses VLC on the server side, not the client side.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks didn't know that.
The S3 Kid said:
Does anyone think we'll be able to use the 'Cast Screen' in the display settings with Chromecast anytime soon?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
if you mean on your KitKat Phone, as @bhiga noted thats for Miracast not CCast. You can however cast a screen from a Desktop Browser. It may be possible in the future to do screen mirroring as there is code in KitKat to do it but from what Koush sees it seems like it will be up to the manufacturer to cook it into the ROM which says to me it will need driver support in the Kernel to work.
Lets hope I'm dead wrong about that!
I have Plex, Twonky, Subsonic, Air Video, and from the 4, only 2 show up as DLNA on my network (plex and twonky) Now, I modified my Subsonic to play from the browser locally as well as remotely so I guess Chrome + anything that plays on chrome could be casted to Chromecast, correct?
Will try it out... Also, I can play Plex from Chrome browser, going to see if I can get a fullscreen going..
EDIT: I got all 3 Plex, Subsonic and Twonky to stream in fullscreen (but from Chrome it has a 720p limit - lame...) ---another note, for Twonky, when you pick the media, you have to cast the opened tab, not the one you are currently on when you select the media like the other 2, just like when you drag and drop .mp3 or .mkv to Chrome, whichever tab opens, you cast that one, only problem is when I drag an MKV to Chrome I get no sound, so I will stick to Plex/Subsonic/Twonky when playing .MKV... Saves me having to run an HDMI cable to the TV, I think it's still worth the $35 even if I can't root it
m4f1050 said:
EDIT: I got all 3 Plex, Subsonic and Twonky to stream in fullscreen (but from Chrome it has a 720p limit - lame...) ---another note, for Twonky, when you pick the media, you have to cast the opened tab, not the one you are currently on when you select the media like the other 2, just like when you drag and drop .mp3 or .mkv to Chrome, whichever tab opens, you cast that one, only problem is when I drag an MKV to Chrome I get no sound, so I will stick to Plex/Subsonic/Twonky when playing .MKV... Saves me having to run an HDMI cable to the TV, I think it's still worth the $35 even if I can't root it
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Playing video via Chrome + Cast extension is more like playing video through remote desktop rather than playing directly. It's the least desirable solution for video playback, though a reasonable fallback in most cases.
First of all I know this section is for the Cromecast and all my MP4 video play using it with Avia.
If you happen to have a DLNA TV when you cast from Avia you’ll see your TV as an option. Back some time ago I decided to try it and all my videos would try to play but an “unsupported video format” message would appear.
I dropped a message to Avia Tech support but never heard from them till about a week or so ago. After a bunch of emails back/forth, they found a Samsung Smart TV in their office. They tried it and found most but not all videos played and received the same error as I did.
I then asked them to try BubbleUPnP with Avia since all my videos play this way. They tried it and although a few more played some still didn’t meaning that BubbleUPNp does some transcoding and Avia just passes the file as is. So even Avia Tech Support has MP4's that a certain device doesn't like!
Okay the problem seems to be the Samsung Smart TV but it brings up the point that not all MP4’s are created equal even though I used HandBrake which is what Avia Tech Support suggests to use.
BTW- My TV has the latest firmware. The Samsung DLNA app used by the TV is called AllShare. It later was changed to AllShare Play and recently Samsung Link. Now Samsung Link/AllShare Play is available in the Play Store but shows to not compatible with my Nexus 10. I don’t know what’s included in the newer Samsung Smart TV’s or if it’s still called AllShare or not.
wptski said:
Okay the problem seems to be the Samsung Smart TV but it brings up the point that not all MP4’s are created equal even though I used HandBrake which is what Avia Tech Support suggests to use.
BTW- My TV has the latest firmware. The Samsung DLNA app used by the TV is called AllShare. It later was changed to AllShare Play and recently Samsung Link. Now Samsung Link/AllShare Play is available in the Play Store but shows to not compatible with my Nexus 10. I don’t know what’s included in the newer Samsung Smart TV’s or if it’s still called AllShare or not.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oh yes, very true!
The same holds for MPEG-2. DVD uses MPEG-2, but it uses a specific range of parameters - left alone to mess with all the available settings it's easy to create non-DVD-compliant MPEG-2, just as it's easy to create non-Chromecast-compliant MPEG-4, non-iPod-compliant MPEG-4 audio, etc.
It's a lot like clothes - simply knowing it's "Men's dress shirt" is not enough to know it will fit.
Even knowing it's "Large men's dress shirt" won't guarantee a fit.
Short of trying it on, you need to get the measurements.
I think on my phone the AllShare stuff is now called Samsung Hub, except for the actual playback function, which is still called AllShare Play, as opposed to AllShare Cast. *shrug*
wptski said:
First of all I know this section is for the Cromecast and all my MP4 video play using it with Avia.
If you happen to have a DLNA TV when you cast from Avia you’ll see your TV as an option. Back some time ago I decided to try it and all my videos would try to play but an “unsupported video format” message would appear.
I dropped a message to Avia Tech support but never heard from them till about a week or so ago. After a bunch of emails back/forth, they found a Samsung Smart TV in their office. They tried it and found most but not all videos played and received the same error as I did.
I then asked them to try BubbleUPnP with Avia since all my videos play this way. They tried it and although a few more played some still didn’t meaning that BubbleUPNp does some transcoding and Avia just passes the file as is. So even Avia Tech Support has MP4's that a certain device doesn't like!
Okay the problem seems to be the Samsung Smart TV but it brings up the point that not all MP4’s are created equal even though I used HandBrake which is what Avia Tech Support suggests to use.
BTW- My TV has the latest firmware. The Samsung DLNA app used by the TV is called AllShare. It later was changed to AllShare Play and recently Samsung Link. Now Samsung Link/AllShare Play is available in the Play Store but shows to not compatible with my Nexus 10. I don’t know what’s included in the newer Samsung Smart TV’s or if it’s still called AllShare or not.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Same issue here. Even though I transcode:
mp4 container
h264 codec
high profile (4.1)
I still can't direct play. I have no idea what i'm missing but according to "the google" these are the parameters that a file needs for CC compatibility.
sherdog16 said:
Same issue here. Even though I transcode:
mp4 container
h264 codec
high profile (4.1)
I still can't direct play. I have no idea what i'm missing but according to "the google" these are the parameters that a file needs for CC compatibility.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Exactly what behavior do you see when you cast the a video from Avia?
sherdog16 said:
Same issue here. Even though I transcode:
mp4 container
h264 codec
high profile (4.1)
I still can't direct play. I have no idea what i'm missing but according to "the google" these are the parameters that a file needs for CC compatibility.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You forgot to note the Audio codec...
AAC(Both HE and and LC), CELT/OPUS, Vorbis or MP3 are the only Audio codecs supported by CCast.
If it is stereo MP3 is fine, If it is surround then AAC is required.
I think you may have gotten the video side right but did not get the Audio correct and thats why it won't play on the CCast.
Samsung if I'm not mistaken uses Mediaplay for Video It should play AAC just fine.
Why did Google choose Avia anyway? Theres loads of better media players for android.
The S3 Kid said:
Why did Google choose Avia anyway? Theres loads of better media players for android.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not sure what the selection process was for who got to play with the yet-unreleased SDK, but the developer also had to have shown interest in supporting Chromecast, so likely it was both sides.
Probably Google saw enough interest to deem their participation and feedback beneficial to the SDK development process.
The S3 Kid said:
Why did Google choose Avia anyway? Theres loads of better media players for android.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It was probably more aVia chose them and not the other way around...
I know they worked with Plex developers directly.
aVia may have been the only local file player other than Real Player to show any interest.
Most of the best players are one Developer driven products and didn't show interest when Google asked for people interested.
One of the things mentioned by Avia Tech Support was that Avia came installed on some Google TVs. They had asked what app was on my Samsung Smart TV.
bhiga said:
Exactly what behavior do you see when you cast the a video from Avia?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Most stuff just said unsupported format. However, I took a fresh rip and encoded a test and it worked so I think I may have gotten it. And to the other poster, I'm pretty sure it was aac audio I was selecting
Sent from my SCH-I545 using xda app-developers app
So i just wanted to update:
I'm finding that some videos that say "Unsupported Format blah blah blah" that I try to play from my phone will play fine when transferred to the laptop and shared through windows media center. The kicker is that some videos aren't showing up in Avia when dropped in the same spot as everything else. Note: The machine is a netbook with Windows 7 and only a 1.33Ghz dual core so it's not transcoding anything.
Even more strange; when i try to play the same movie through my plex server on said netbook with the paid plexpass android app, it then attempts to transcode and fails horribly with buffering every 2 seconds. I'm finding that playing local content with Chromecast has a TON of "ifs and buts". Basically, it's all very simple if you have a powerful desktop, but not so easy for those of us on a budget... which i think is most of the people who bought the CC, due to the price point.
So if I can just get Windows Media Center to show all my converted movies, which I can't, I'll be fine. IDK, I just felt like venting my frustrations with this whole venture. Back at it tonight i suppose.
sherdog16 said:
So i just wanted to update:
I'm finding that some videos that say "Unsupported Format blah blah blah" that I try to play from my phone will play fine when transferred to the laptop and shared through windows media center. The kicker is that some videos aren't showing up in Avia when dropped in the same spot as everything else. Note: The machine is a netbook with Windows 7 and only a 1.33Ghz dual core so it's not transcoding anything.
Even more strange; when i try to play the same movie through my plex server on said netbook with the paid plexpass android app, it then attempts to transcode and fails horribly with buffering every 2 seconds. I'm finding that playing local content with Chromecast has a TON of "ifs and buts". Basically, it's all very simple if you have a powerful desktop, but not so easy for those of us on a budget... which i think is most of the people who bought the CC, due to the price point.
So if I can just get Windows Media Center to show all my converted movies, which I can't, I'll be fine. IDK, I just felt like venting my frustrations with this whole venture. Back at it tonight i suppose.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not sure if WMC tries to conform things for XBOX/UPnP compliance or not... We'll assume it doesn't though.
Sounds like Plex is just being hampered by poor transcoding performance. Netbooks tend not to fare well with high-performance tasks, especially CODEC-related operations. A desktop with more RAM and a more video-friendly optimized CPU would definitely fare better.
You might be having network performance issues on top of that.
Chromecast has a ton of "gotchas" with playing local content - because it's not really designed for that. Its primary purpose is an Internet streamer. Beyond that, it's a bit like using your phone in lieu of a laptop. You can do it, but you're subject to restrictions.
I'm still in search of an "all in one" solution as well, but seems there is none.
Plex is awesome for my non-DVD/BD content because it can transcode for whatever client... but I'd have to convert my DVDs/BDs
TV + phone/tablet
WMC+MyMovies works well for my DVD/BD content - and it works for my video content too... but then I'm tied to my TV - can't watch on my phone/tablet, and control via my phone/tablet is klunky at best for non-DVD/BD stuff (I use TMT for DVD/BD playback - its Android remote app works fine).
TV
Avia plays my local content... and casts it too, but not if it requires transcoding
Phone/tablet
RealPlayer cloud needs me to throw non-compliant media onto their cloud before I can cast it
Phone/tablet
If/when the MyMovies Android app is released (they're working on it) I'll finally be able to cast my DVD (and hopefully BD) content which may render my WMC machine obsolete... but still not an all-in-one solution.
Also Transcoding is still a WIP as far as Plex goes...They are slowly getting there but it would seem it still transcodes even in some cases where it probably shouldn't have to or doesn't transcode in cases it should (notably MP4/H264 Level 4.0 or lower/AAC)
Transcoding will not operate properly on a Netbook. What is happening (and this is a guess) is Plex is trying to transcode for aVia and the system can't handle it. The Error says incompatible but that is because the transcode isn't working.
aVia can probably handle the file fine without Transcoding but Plex doesn't care what aVia will handle it transcodes based on the Source and without a profile for aVia it is probably just using a Generic Transcode format that your Machine is choking on.
Asphyx said:
Also Transcoding is still a WIP as far as Plex goes...They are slowly getting there but it would seem it still transcodes even in some cases where it probably shouldn't have to or doesn't transcode in cases it should (notably MP4/H264 Level 4.0 or lower/AAC)
Transcoding will not operate properly on a Netbook. What is happening (and this is a guess) is Plex is trying to transcode for aVia and the system can't handle it. The Error says incompatible but that is because the transcode isn't working.
aVia can probably handle the file fine without Transcoding but Plex doesn't care what aVia will handle it transcodes based on the Source and without a profile for aVia it is probably just using a Generic Transcode format that your Machine is choking on.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah this is what has me miffed. Plex is great. Looks great, reads everything in, so on and so forth. I never figured the netbook could handle any transcoding, i assumed direct play would be okay as I can encode the files on my work PC (which has plenty of balls) to be compliant. But it frustrates me now when I have a file that is obviously CC compatible (plays fine through DLNA via Avia) but it then attempts to transcode the file when it shouldn't have to. I wish there was a "force direct play" option with Plex (or maybe there is and i'm not aware). Orrrrr i wish all my files that I encode with the exact same settings in Handbrake would read in through WMC so I don't even need Plex, and I could just use Avia.
I feel like I'm RIGHT there with this but can't quiet figure it out. It has me obsessed with "beating the problem" so to speak.
I faced this wierd issue before...
For some mp4 files, when put locally on my android device, can stream fine to chromecast.
Same mp4 file copied to a network location and streamed via vget to avia did not play at all.
For other mp4 files (exact same coding done via handbrake)... they play well from both local storage or network storage accessed via vget.
I was never able to solve it.
Its very puzzling and a random hit/miss
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Tapatalk
sherdog16 said:
Orrrrr i wish all my files that I encode with the exact same settings in Handbrake would read in through WMC so I don't even need Plex, and I could just use Avia.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
WMC is supposed to be a DLNA-compliant source, but how it determines what it does and doesn't serve is a bit of a mystery... I suspect it's something to do with the Homegroup concept that I still avoid.
Well I have had a Chromecast for some time now. I have been lurking for some time now but can't quite figure out what is the best solution for me.
Here is what I am looking to do.. I have quite a few workout dvd's that the Wife and I use, Yoga and the such. I want to eliminate the need to use the dvd player... my goal is to have everything ripped to my desktop, then use my phone to control what is displayed on the chromecast? especially since i have multiple chromecasts.....I just can't figure out what combination of apps I need to accomplish it... I have used ALLCast but the video will mess up during streaming... (Galaxy S3)
I am assuming I need some sort of media server service running on my desktop..(Plex?)
Any thoughts or suggestions would be great!
cdrshm
Rip the DVDs to MP4 files on your computer using some video tool like Handbrake. Enable the DLNA server function in Windows if you haven't already, and add your video folder as one of the shared media folders. Install BubbleUPnP on your Android phone. Select your computer as the source, Chromecast as the destination. Select your desired video and cast it to the Chromecast, controlling it with BubbleUPnP.
Plex is certainly an alternative, but you would have to install and set up Plex Media Server on your computer, and currently you have to pay $4/month for Plex Pass to use Plex with the Chromecast. For what you want to do the above combination is simpler and free.
@DJames1 hit it on the head.
Since I have multiple players, I'm waiting for My Movies to release Chromecast support, but I suspect it might be a while...
DJames1 said:
Rip the DVDs to MP4 files on your computer using some video tool like Handbrake. Enable the DLNA server function in Windows if you haven't already, and add your video folder as one of the shared media folders. Install BubbleUPnP on your Android phone. Select your computer as the source, Chromecast as the destination. Select your desired video and cast it to the Chromecast, controlling it with BubbleUPnP.
Plex is certainly an alternative, but you would have to install and set up Plex Media Server on your computer, and currently you have to pay $4/month for Plex Pass to use Plex with the Chromecast. For what you want to do the above combination is simpler and free.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
WOW! This works perfect! Thanks for helping me out! It works better than expected!!
Thanks Again!!
cdrshm
+1 to DJ!
Only thing I would quibble with is I'm not sure the Windows Media DLNA is a very good option but it is free and requires no installation.
Bubble requires SOME DLNA server since it does not have this function built in yet and instead aggregates media from other sources.
Something I suspect Bubble will soon add to it's arsenal!
You can also browse files in the chrome browser, such as your movie folder. And simply cast from that. Works instantly, easily, casts in the same quality the file is in, and requires no additional software or set up.
For instance, my data drive is F, I just browse to file:///F:/ on chrome, select my movies folder and start the video then cast from the browser.
^^ That's tab-casting. While it works as long as your computer is fast enough, it has several issues compared to the recommended solution:
1. It puts a heavier workload on your PC due to Google's rather inefficient tab-casting code.
2. Even with a high-performance PC, the video tends to stutter a little when tab-casting.
3. It has to be controlled from the PC. The OP said that he has an Android phone he wants to use as the controller.
If the OP were interested in trying streaming from Chrome, he would be better off to use the newly-renamed Videostream extension for Chrome mentioned in another thread here. It offers much smoother performance than tab-casting.
I use serviio on my computer and Avia on my devices. Works great.
I use Logitech Media Server with avia and it works perfectly...
Sent from my HTCONE using Tapatalk
^^ Also good solutions, but Avia isn't quite free, and they would require the OP to install a new media server on his PC.
Any good solution for mac os?
2fastkuztoms said:
Any good solution for mac os?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Plex is probably the easiest option but it currently requires PlexPass subscription as it's still getting the kinks worked out.
Sent from a device with no keyboard. Please forgive typos, they may not be my own.
You could use any DLNA server that runs on Mac along with BubbleUPnP as the controller on Android. I would probably choose Serviio.
Asphyx said:
+1 to DJ!
Only thing I would quibble with is I'm not sure the Windows Media DLNA is a very good option but it is free and requires no installation.
Bubble requires SOME DLNA server since it does not have this function built in yet and instead aggregates media from other sources.
Something I suspect Bubble will soon add to it's arsenal!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Agreed Windows Media Server sucks. Install the free BubbleUPnP Server side app on your PC. Pay for the pro license of BubbleUPnP on Android and not only can you stream your PC media to Chromecast but you can stream through your PS3 and you can remotely watch all of your videos on your Android device or anyone else's media server in the world
Sent from my Nexus 10 using Tapatalk
Just released, the Yatse Remote for XBMC now offers the ability to stream content from XBMC to CCast (In app Purchase for Unlocker required $4.99 plus the free plugin to cast)
I had never really tried this remote before but when I saw it supported streaming to CCast I went and bought it.
haven't had a lot of time with it but it does offer some major features that don't exist in the Official XBMC remote.
First and foremost you can stream to your local device from XBMC. Note XBMC has not transcode capability so compatibility as far as CCast is concerned will probably still be an issue. (Bubble and Plex are still your friends here!)
The app claims to be able to launch XBMC remotely which I suppose is possible but have not tested nor do I know if it works.
What I do know is it does quite well stream and send content to any DLNA/UPnP/DIAL (tested with CCast) targets on the network which is a very good feature for those who have an HTPC running XBMC and wish to add it's content to another Monitor without having to buy an entire HTPC for each TV.
So for all of those folks who were looking for ways to stream XBMC content to CCast your day has finally arrived.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.leetzone.android.yatsewidgetfree
Asphyx said:
Just released, the Yatse Remote for XBMC now offers the ability to stream content from XBMC to CCast (In app Purchase for Unlocker required $4.99 plus the free plugin to cast)
I had never really tried this remote before but when I saw it supported streaming to CCast I went and bought it.
haven't had a lot of time with it but it does offer some major features that don't exist in the Official XBMC remote.
First and foremost you can stream to your local device from XBMC. Note XBMC has not transcode capability so compatibility as far as CCast is concerned will probably still be an issue. (Bubble and Plex are still your friends here!)
The app claims to be able to launch XBMC remotely which I suppose is possible but have not tested nor do I know if it works.
What I do know is it does quite well stream and send content to any DLNA/UPnP/DIAL (tested with CCast) targets on the network which is a very good feature for those who have an HTPC running XBMC and wish to add it's content to another Monitor without having to buy an entire HTPC for each TV.
So for all of those folks who were looking for ways to stream XBMC content to CCast your day has finally arrived.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.leetzone.android.yatsewidgetfree
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
hmmm this is nice feature from Yaste! I have used it as remote to my XBMC but then I feel they are charging high just to cast.
If you want to CCast XBMC, it can be played by AVIA (most of CCast users have already bought it) by making deualt player for AVIA. There are number of details threads on how-to..
Hi,
Thanks for info.
Since I'm mostly interested in streaming plugins to CCast. Can yatse do that, or is it limited to library?
Thanks.
pino.
puppinoo said:
Hi,
Thanks for info.
Since I'm mostly interested in streaming plugins to CCast. Can yatse do that, or is it limited to library?
Thanks.
pino.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have not tried any of the Apps as far as CCast is concerned but they do appear in this program.
Something I have never seen from the other remote apps.
sting098 said:
hmmm this is nice feature from Yaste! I have used it as remote to my XBMC but then I feel they are charging high just to cast.
If you want to CCast XBMC, it can be played by AVIA (most of CCast users have already bought it) by making deualt player for AVIA. There are number of details threads on how-to..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Believe me this is a much better experience than the XBMC External Player method.
Especially since it can use Content from XBMC that is not on the local unit but on other XBMC units on the network.
.
Asphyx said:
Believe me this is a much better experience than the XBMC External Player method.
Especially since it can use Content from XBMC that is not on the local unit but on other XBMC units on the network.
.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I almost spent 5 bucks on it, but at the last minute decided to wait and see how well it works with Chromecast. I am especially interested to see if you you can play BBC iPlayer streams and or some other catch-up TV add-ons. ESPN is another one I would be interested to know if it works. Hulu is also the big one, as they have lots more than what Hulu Plus offers. If that works, this app would be a killer.
yatse is worth more than that $4.99 trust me, its an awesome remote for xbmc with tons of features that puts the official xbmc to shame, the xbmc remote should take some notes on yatse and do some work on that app.. just sayin
Bought it, yet to stream a single file successfully. Even upgraded to Gotham, no luck. None of the add-ons work. Am I missing something? Really trying to make this work.
Sent from my HTC_PN071 using Tapatalk
jasenko said:
Bought it, yet to stream a single file successfully. Even upgraded to Gotham, no luck. None of the add-ons work. Am I missing something? Really trying to make this work.
Sent from my HTC_PN071 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Same for me. Bought it hoping to make plugins work but many of them show empty folders or if I can stream them they give format error cause probably they are not compatible with supported codecs. I really hope there will be a BubblUpnp like approach where a server could transcode stuff to compatible formats, or maybe forward addons to chrome and make it transcode. So far no luck..
jasenko said:
Bought it, yet to stream a single file successfully. Even upgraded to Gotham, no luck. None of the add-ons work. Am I missing something? Really trying to make this work.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
jasenko said:
I almost spent 5 bucks on it, but at the last minute decided to wait and see how well it works with Chromecast. I am especially interested to see if you you can play BBC iPlayer streams and or some other catch-up TV add-ons. ESPN is another one I would be interested to know if it works. Hulu is also the big one, as they have lots more than what Hulu Plus offers. If that works, this app would be a killer.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't have BBC Add On installed so I can't test this for you. But channel support in all of the options available have issues with CCast because of the various transport protocols being used for web that are incompatible with CCast due to the player extension requirements of those transport protocols when streamed in Chrome.
Where is this XBMC your trying to stream from located? This program is meant to control an XBMC on an HTPC not the XBMC on your local android device. As I said in the OP it will have the same restrictions most other NON-Transcode (like aVia) options have. So unless your media is CCast compatible it will have issues playing them.
puppinoo said:
Same for me. Bought it hoping to make plugins work but many of them show empty folders or if I can stream them they give format error cause probably they are not compatible with supported codecs. I really hope there will be a BubblUpnp like approach where a server could transcode stuff to compatible formats, or maybe forward addons to chrome and make it transcode. So far no luck..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
See what I said about regarding Add Ons and Transport Protocols.
In order for XBMC to do what Bubble and Plex does the XBMC Devs need to get off their "We are a Frontend" soapbox and realize that to stay relevant they need to add some Transcode support to their DLNA services.
Right now the only way to get XBMC content to transcode is to aggregate it into BubbleUPnP.
The focus of this program is not to create a CCast app the main purpose has always been to control an XBMC machine somewhere on your network that is attached to a real TV from an Android device. What makes it good is this App also will allow you to view and play XBMC content on the device itself (something other XBMC Remotes have lacked). And because it can play locally it was easy to create an addon that would then allow files to play on the CCast and other DLNA and UPnP renderers.
I will also say after a night of playing with it (perhaps unfairly) that while this is a great addition to those who have XBMC HTPCs in their house it is not way a good replacement for Plex or Bubble which will allow content to be streamed outside the local network and support Transcoding.
It is however a better replacement for the hacked aVia methods that have been discussed here for playing XBMC content.
Especially from an interface and navigation POV.
I also noticed that you can use MX Player as the player app for Android in the settings. That doesn't have any CCast relevance but it is a good perk for those who wish to view XBMC content on Android with Hardware decoding.
I should have been clearer, I was unable to even play local Chromecast supported files. The message pops out to force playback, with that enabled I can't even get to the option to play.
Internet streams from various compatible websites like Vimeo, should be a no brainer but they just fail without even attempt to play them
jasenko said:
I should have been clearer, I was unable to even play local Chromecast supported files. The message pops out to force playback, with that enabled I can't even get to the option to play.
Internet streams from various compatible websites like Vimeo, should be a no brainer but they just fail without even attempt to play them
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
And on what machine is XBMC running on that the content doesn't work for CCast?
Asphyx said:
And on what machine is XBMC running on that the content doesn't work for CCast?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
HTPC is a windows box, media is on NAS. Local playback works for my files, but nothing casts to Chromecast. I will ask for the money back, nothing works as advertised. I had more luck with the external player on Android and playing addons while connecting with BubbleUPnP through Plex library.
Chromecast is so simple, call me spoiled, but I expect playback from apps to just work.
jasenko said:
HTPC is a windows box, media is on NAS. Local playback works for my files, but nothing casts to Chromecast. I will ask for the money back, nothing works as advertised. I had more luck with the external player on Android and playing addons while connecting with BubbleUPnP through Plex library.
Chromecast is so simple, call me spoiled, but I expect playback from apps to just work.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How do the native apps - YouTube, Pandora, etc. work for you?
bhiga said:
How do the native apps - YouTube, Pandora, etc. work for you?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Flawless..
Sorry to bring this thread back to life,
I am having issues with streaming to my chromecast with this app, all my files are in rar archive and playes just fine in kodi, but wont stream eather to phone (mx player) or to my chromecast, anyone have a fix?
Kodi, v15 nighlty Jan 24, 2015.
|Night| said:
Sorry to bring this thread back to life,
I am having issues with streaming to my chromecast with this app, all my files are in rar archive and playes just fine in kodi, but wont stream eather to phone (mx player) or to my chromecast, anyone have a fix?
Kodi, v15 nighlty Jan 24, 2015.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
CCast doesn't support RAR riles
Asphyx said:
CCast doesn't support RAR riles
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hey thank you for response, I've tested both rared and unrared same issue, when I try to stream to my phone in either mx player or vlc, it crashes after a few minutes and goes back to yatse screen. Have you seen that issue before?
|Night| said:
Hey thank you for response, I've tested both rared and unrared same issue, when I try to stream to my phone in either mx player or vlc, it crashes after a few minutes and goes back to yatse screen. Have you seen that issue before?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No but all of my files are Encoded to be every device compatible....
Yatse (and by default XBMC) does not transcode media to be compatible with various codecs and containers.
So unless the media is fully container/codec compatible it simply won't play.
Since this is not just happening on CCast and crashes on your phone as well I have to assume the files you are trying to stream have some issue and are not container/codec compatible.
Ideal for compatibility is MP4 container with a H.264 Codec. AAC Audio is also best supported by mobile devices.
A program like Plex or BubbleUPnP will transcode any format to a device compatible format so you might want to look into using one of those instead of using yatse.
You can install them onto the same machine you are currently running XBMC on.
Thats what I do.
sting098 said:
hmmm this is nice feature from Yaste! I have used it as remote to my XBMC but then I feel they are charging high just to cast.
If you want to CCast XBMC, it can be played by AVIA (most of CCast users have already bought it) by making deualt player for AVIA. There are number of details threads on how-to..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
But you cant play contents from your private network, with AVIA.